Steam-heater regulator



Oct. 31, 1933. L c HYATT 1,932,666

STEAM HEATER REGULATOR Filed Feb. 7, 1931 3 woe/WM Laws C fig 0f) Patented Oct. 31, 1933 pairs sr'rss STEAM-HEATER REGULATOR Louis G. Hyatt, Albany, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Oar-Heating Company, Inc., Albany, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 7, 1931. Serial No. 514,238

5 Claims. -(o1. 137-71) For a detailed description of the present form of my invention, reference may be had to the following specifi ation and to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof, wherein Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross section of my regulator and Fig. 2 shows a plan of the same looking at it from the bottom as it appears in Fig. 1.

In the application of Lee P. Hynes, filed November 19, 1926, Serial No. l49,5l0 and the application by same applicant, filed January 24, 1930, Serial No. 423,222, there is shown a steam-heating means for busses wherein the automatic regulation is eiieoted by an outside expansiblechamber remote from the boiler but connected with the sealed pipe system and acting, under the internal pressure, to suck into itself more or less of the water of the boiler system. Such abstraction of water tends to reduce the heating effect of the boiler and, of course, to also reduce the pressure which has caused the water-withdrawing action of the chamber. In this manner the pressure and activity of the boiler is maintained automatically at the desired degree. My present invention relates to an improvement in the regulating champipe-system for cusses.

ber for the type of system just mentioned. It involves a separable enclosing case, to the base portion of which the piping system is permanently connected while the other part is removable from said base. Inside or" this casing is a separate chamber which is bodily expansible and contractible so as to change its cubic volume, becoming larger as it expands and thereby sucks thereinto the water from the boiler. Moreover, the contraction of the aforesaid chamber is produced positively by a spring, whereby the entire device may be placed either above or below the level of the boiler, because the chamber action is by virtue of the spring rendered independent of gravity.

This regulator is a small affair, being in outside dimensions but six or seven inches in height and five inches in diameter. That is because only about a pint of water is required in the sealed It is to be understood, however, that the dimensions and capacity stated are given solely for purposes or" illustration, and without intent to limit the invention.

In the drawing, the is a sectional view illustrating a regulator constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, 3 represents a hollow cylinder, preferably of cast aluminum open at its lower end. 2 is a flat circular base resting on three screw-hole feet or projections at its periphery. The cylinder 3 is seated'onthis base 2 and engages therewith by means of a bayonet joint, as appears in Fig. 2. In the center of the base is'a screw-threaded hole entered by a hollow sealing screw 8 through which passes the pipe -'7 leading from the heater pipe-system. Inside of cylinder 3 is a sealed bellows or corrugated vesselfi seated at its bottom on the top face of aforesaid base 2 and communicating through screw 8--with-the aforesaid pipe '7. The top face of bellows 6 is formed with a deep central depression, which contains the central spring-holding socket of a pressure-plate 4 that is seated on the bellows. Plate 4 also has a central depression extending down into the interior of the bellows, While, above said downward extension is the fiat flange "portion of the plate resting on the upper edge'of the corrugated side Wall of the bellows 6.-

A heavy spring 5is interposed between'the said plate 4 and the top of the aforesaid cylinder- 3 which cylinder has on its inside a receiving socket for the upper end of the springcorresponding to the socket ordepression for its lower end formed in the downward extension of the said plate 4. In the collapsed condition shown in the drawing, the interior of the bellows is substantially occupied by its depressed top plate enclosing the central spring-socket or depression on plate 4 which enters the depression in the top of the bellows. pipe system forces the contents of that system up through pipe 7 into the bellows 6, the corrugated side walls of the bellows will expand upwardly against the downward pressure of spring 5 carrying up with it its depressed top plate. The boiler water from the system will be drawn thereby out of the boiler and pipe system into the expanded bellows. Even if the contents of the pipe system enter the bellows in the form of steam, that steam is speedily condensed into water in- But when the pressure on the side of the bellows and the ultimate effect of pressure in the system and tends to cause positively the collapse of the bellows and the positive expulsion of the water therefrom. That occurs in whatever position the regulator may be located with respect to the boiler which is of particular value in a bus-heater since it permits the placing of the regulator at different points in the bus as may be required by the form and construction of the bus body. Obviously, too, the cubic capacity of the regulator is automatically increased or diminished in proportion to the degree of control which it exerts on the system. That also is an aid in keeping down the size and cost of the apparatus, since the chamber 6 expands in proportion to the amount of water it has to accommodate.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic regulator for a steam heating system comprising a base provided with a central opening, an expansible chamber attachedto said base and provided with an expansible and contractible wall having a central depressed portion, an abutment plate separate from said-chamber and having a central depressed portion complemental to the depressed portion of said'chamber and provided'with'a flange resting on the top of and-supported by said chamber, a casing removably engaging said base, a spring having one end bearing against the depressed; portion of the abutment plate and the other end bearing against topof .said casing, and means for connecting the interior of said chamber with a source of fluctuating pressure through said opening.

2. vAn automatic regulator for a steam heating system comprising a sealed chamber having an ,expansible and contractible wall provided with a central longitudinally depressed portion, an abut- .ment plate having a central longitudinally depressed portion complemental to and removably projected into the depressed portion of said .chambensaid abutment plate having a flange .removably resting upon the top wall of said chamber, means for maintaining a yieldable collapsing pressure upon said abutment plate, and means ionconnecting the interior of the chamber with a-lourceot fluctuating pressure. v y

3. Anautomatic regulator for a steam heating systemcomprising a supporting base, an expansystem comprising a base, a sealed chamber attached to said base and provided with an ex-- pansible and contractible wall and with a top wall provided with a central longitudinally depressed portion, an abutment plate removably resting on and normally supported by the top wall of said. chamber, a casing enclosing said chamber and detachably engaging said base, a spring interposed between said abutment plate and an end of said casing, said spring being constructed and arranged to maintain a yieldable collapsing pressure upon said abutment plate, and means for connecting said chamber with a source of fluctuating pressure.

5. An automatic regulator for a steam heating system comprising a base, a sealed chamber attached to said base and provided with an expansible and contractible Wall, an abutment plate removably resting on and'normally supported by the top wall of said chamber, a casing enclosing said chamber and detachably engaging said base, a spring interposed between said abutment plate and an end of said casing, said spring being axially positioned with respect to said casing and said chamber so as to apply a yieldable collapsing pressure at the center of the top wall of said chamber, and means for connecting said chamber with a source of fluctuating pressure.

LOUIS C. HYATT. 

